On 24
August, Mrs. Souhayr Belhassen, president of the International Federation for
Human Rights, as well as Mr. Sidiki Kaba, FIDH honorary president, and Mr.
Antoine Bernard , FIDH executive director, were received at the Élysée
Palace by French President Mr. François Hollande.

Among
issues of the French foreign policy, the meeting’s agenda also included the
situation with two FIDH leaders: Ales Bialiatski, FIDH vice-president,
sentenced to 4.5 years in Belarus, and Nabeel Rajab, FIDH secretary general, jailed for 3 years in Bahrain.

The French
President was urged to take a pro-active stance in worldwide mobilization for
their release. The demand was later voiced by the FIDH delegation during their
briefing with the media outside the Élysée Palace.